Book-support and arm-rest.



No. 644,346. Patented Feb. 27, I900. J. B. M. WINBURN.

800K SUPPORT AND ARM BEST.

- (Application filed Jan. 31, 1899.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 644,346. Patented Feb. 27, I900. J. B. M. WINBURN.

7 BOOK SUPPORT AND ABM REST.

(Application filed Jan. 31, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

4; 13 3 l7 A// Al i 6' /6 5 6 r "6 Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. M. \VINBURN, OF GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA.

BOOK-SUPPORT AND ARM-REST.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 644,346, dated February 27, 1900.

Application filed January 31, 18 99. Serial No. 704,027. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES B. M. WVINBURN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gainesville, in the county of Hall and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Book- Support and Arm-Rest, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in book-supports.

One object of the present invention is to provide for bookkeepers, accountants, and the like a book-support adapted to adjust itself to a book to support the leaves at which the book is opened in a horizontal position, whether the book be opened at the center or not, and a further object of the invention is to provide a convenient arm-rest capable of adjustment to suit the character of the book and the position of the same on the support.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a book-support and arm-rest constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view illustrating the device at an inclination. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the frame, the leaves or sections being removed. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the pivoted dogs.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlugs. V

1 designates a rectangular frame constructed of suitable material, preferably wood, and provided with longitudinal openings 2, arranged at opposite sides of a central portion 3 and receiving the supporting devices of adjustable leaves or sections 4, adapted to be arranged on the frame flush with the central portion thereof and capable of being raised above the frame to support a book, so that its open pages or leaves will be arranged in the same plane to facilitate writing on the surfaces thereof or reading the contents of the same. The leaves or sections, which are adapted to be raised unequal distances to compensate for the unequal number of leaves at opposite sides of an open book, are connected with the frame and supported by substantially U shaped links 5, having their transverse portions 6 forming pintles and hinged to the lower faces of the leaves or sections by suitable eyes 7, and the terminals of the sides of the links are bent outward to form pivots S, which are arranged in suitable bearings of the frame at opposite sides of the longitudinal openings 2.

The links permit the leaves or sections to be readily raised and lowered, and the latter are held at any desired adjustment by dogs 9, arranged to engage ratchet-bars 10 of the frame. The dogs 9, which are substantially oblong, are hinged or pivoted to the lower faces of the leaves or sections at 11 and are provided adjacent to the pivotal points with arms 12, lOCalJBd bGDGMJh openings 13 of the leaves or sections and adapted to be readily engaged by the finger of the operator to lift the dog from the rack-bars 10. The rackbars 10, which are arranged within theopenings 2, consist of T-shaped castings located at the top of the frame and having inwardlyshouldered teeth. The laterally disposed arms of the T-shaped castings are arranged transversely of the openings 2, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

The bottom of the frame is provided with a transverse opening 14, the recess being adapted to receive the supporting devices of a leaf or section 15, forming an arm-rest and adapted to be raised from a position flush with the face of the frame to a point above the same in order to support the arm in convenient position for writing in the book. The leaf or section 15 is connected with the frame by links 16 and issupported by a dog 18 engaging a rack-bar 19, constructed similar to those heretofore described and arranged at one side of the frame. The rack-bar has inwardly-shouldered teeth, and the dog is provided at its point of connection with the leaf or section with a laterally-disposed substantially L-shaped arm 18, extending beyond the frame and adapted to be readily grasped by the operator.

The book-support and arm-rest, which is designed to be normally arranged in a horizontal position, may be supported at an inclination, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, by a hinged bar 21 and a hinged brace or prop 22, both adapted to fold within a recess 23 beneath the central portion of the frame. The bar 21, which is hinged at the inner end of the recess 23 at 24;, is provided with a series of transverse grooves 25, forming a ratchet and adapted to be arranged by the prop or brace 22', which is substantially U-shaped. The sides of the prop or brace have their terminals bent outward to form pivots for engaging bearing openings or sockets at the outer end of the recess 23, and by adjusting the brace or prop from one groove to another the inclination of the device may be varied. The grooved bar 21 may have the grooves formed in it directly, or it may be provided with a metal plate having suitable grooves for the reception of the brace or prop.

The invention has the following advantages: The book-support, which is sim ple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, is adapted to hold a book so that its open leaves will lie in the same plane, and the independently-adjustable sections compensate for the varying thickness of the sides of the book. The leaf or section at the foot or front of the device forms an arm-rest and is capable of adjustment to suit the size and position of a book, and the entire device may be arranged at an inclination, if desired.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

IVhat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame,an adjustable section connected with the frame and adapted to be raised and lowered, said section being provided with an opening, and a dog mounted 011 the section and arranged to engage the frame to maintain the section at any desired adj ustment, said dog being located at the said opening, whereby it is adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operator, substantially as described. v

2. A device of the class described comprising a frame, having openings and provided therein with ratchets, adjustable leaves or sections arranged at the openings and provided with finger-openings, links connecting the leaves or sections with the frame, and dogs mounted on the leaves or sections at the finger-openings thereof and engaging the ratchets, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a frame provided with ratchets, independently-adjustable leaves or sections having openings, links connecting the leaves or sections with the frame, and dogs mounted on the leaves or sections and engaging the ratchets, said dogs being provided with arms arranged at the openings of the leaves or sections, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described comprising a frame provided with parallel side openings and having a transverse opening at its bottom, T-shaped castings arranged at the upper ends of the side openings and atone end of the transverse opening and provided with ratchets disposed longitudinally of the said openings, the leaves or sections 4 arranged at opposite sides of the frame and provided with finger-openings, the transverse leaf 15, links connecting the leaves or sections with the frame, dogs mounted on the leaves or sections and engaging the ratchets, the dogs of the leaves or sections at being provided with arms located at the finger-openings, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. M. WINBURN.

\Vitnesses:

V. B. SMITH, THos. M. BELL. 

